


Shadows in the Snow

by ScribbleWriting65



Series: The Shadowed Jewel [3]
Category: Original Work, RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Day Off, Dismemberment, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Gaslighting, Past Abuse, Volume 7 (RWBY)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-08
Updated: 2020-01-08
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:42:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,227
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22168033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScribbleWriting65/pseuds/ScribbleWriting65
Summary: The cold brings adversity, but it also brings opportunity.
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long, OC/OC, Slim/Dot
Series: The Shadowed Jewel [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1671928





	1. Metallic Soul

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! Here's my latest work: Another RWBY/Shadows crossover! I didn't use as many references for this one as I did with The Shadowed Jewel, so I'm proud of that. Let me know what you think in the comments, and I hope you enjoy!

“Oh, man…”

Slim slowly awoke, seeing Oscar pat his shoulder before rising. The two went with the others to the ship’s windows, seeing a dark and gloomy city below them, covered in smoke and darkness. A man appeared on nearby holo-boards, appreciating citizens’ cooperation in uncertain times.

“Is the city always this bad?” Slim asked.  
“Ironwood doesn’t seem to be helping all that much,” Yang offered with a sad face, “He looks…”  
“Tired.” Qrow’s voice carried its own sadness and pity.

The group refocused upon following Weiss’ sight, looking at a new person on the board with fearful eyes as said woman reported on the offense that would be arguing with the military. The woman looked like an older version of Weiss, except her eyes were cold, her uniform and posture seeming stiff with years of discipline.

“Winter?”  
“You know her?” Firefly wondered.  
“She’s my sister…This isn’t right.”  
“We need to ditch the ship before we’re arrested.” Yang suggested.  
“Agreed,” Qrow added, “it’d buy us some time in Mantle to figure out what’s going on here and with Ironwood.”  
“I know someone who could help with that.”

The group heeded Maria’s advice, descending upon hearing a final warning and moving into the streets, taking in their surroundings. Security cameras flew everywhere, one being disabled by a rock thrown by a child. People seemed to walk slowly, holding either neutral or despondent expressions, especially the mineworkers that were on the back of a truck; covered in mud and exhausted by their postures.

“Geez, there are soldiers everywhere.” Shade peeked out of Slim’s shoulder, hardly noticeable.  
“Is it always like this?” Jaune asked.  
Weiss responded with uncertainty, “No…From what I knew, at least.”

Slim walked just ahead of Yang, turning around upon hearing a subtle gasp from her. A camera had taken a flashing picture of her, annoying the blonde brawler. She kept going, but the camera followed, finally being terminated with a swift kick.

“If you didn’t do that, I would’ve taken the junker out myself.” Shade slightly smirked.  
“Maybe we should pick up the pace.” Yang tilted her head, Blake rolling her eyes with a smile as they continued.

“You have to keep in mind that Mantle had just lost the Great War.” Maria lectured, “The people needed hope, which came from Atlas; after all, a home above the clouds is as bright as they come.”  
“Sure gives Mantle hope from here.” Shade sneered.

Nora gave a sharp nod as she crossed her arms, Blake having an annoyed look on her face before shifting to subtle caution as a wobbling man tumbled out of a nearby alley. The group shared that wariness as the man pointed at them.

“You don’t understand! Atlas is the grrreatesst kingdom in the world. You can always go to the tundra if you doon’t like it here.”  
Blake gave a sarcastic apology, even as the others shifted into angry, battle-ready stances.

“Stupid Faunus like you wouldn’t under-“

The man began to float into the air, the group stepping back as Shade raced forward, leaping and slamming the man into a nearby dumpster. The others stared with wide eyes at Weiss and Shade, who nodded to each other.

“It was worth it.” Both spoke simultaneously, smiling at each other before hurrying away as Atlas mechs investigated the scene. Maria led them to a shop off the path, being greeted by an older man in a chair. They weren’t terribly impressed, the man seeming to forget Maria before shifting into realizing her as his main ocular implant patient. Slim was thrown off by the man’s walking chair but forgot about it with the man’s kindness.

“And this is…?” Qrow started.  
“Sheesh, you kids and your impatience. I shouldn’t have to introduce one of Atlas’ finest minds.” Maria chided.  
“Who works…here?”

Yang’s observation was supported by a falling ceiling title, making Slim and Oscar jump.

“Oh, this is where he volunteers when he isn’t revolutionizing Atlas and the future with Ironwood up in the clouds.”  
“Plus, I get to work with the locals, have some fun. I’m developing shoes that make you dance. You wanna try them on?”  
“ _YES._ ” Both Nora and Shade spoke excitedly; Nora looking to Ren with her imagination visibly working, and Shade doing the same to Slim.  
“Would you be able to help us?” Yang asked. “We’re trying to reach General Ironwood.”  
“And what’s all been going on here? The…security…is a lot to say the least.” Blake stepped forward.

The man coughed before speaking. “The Fall of Beacon hit all of us, James was no different. It’s made him-“  
“Scared.” Qrow frowned.  
“Paranoid would be the more appropriate term, but it wasn’t just the Grimm.” The man lowered his head, subtle shame, and fear in his eyes. “Someone took control of our systems, made Atlas look like traitors or buffoons.”  
“I saw that,” Slim added. “There weren’t many, but some clips appeared of an Atlas mech attacking a girl with rabbit ears before she fought back. It affected all the systems?”  
“Every last one. I fear the hacker may be a genius and…one of our own.”  
“We can’t just turn back after all we went through to get here, can we?” Oscar asked fearfully.

“What about Winter Schnee? What does she have to say about this?”

Weiss’ step forward stopped the man, his eyes flashing in recognition at her before shifting to Yang, commenting on her prosthetic’s paint job. His eyes glowed with happiness upon recognizing all of Team RWBY, catching everyone off guard.

“You know us!?” Ruby affirmed.  
“Yes, my girl, I certainly do. I’m a klutz for not recognizing you sooner, from what my daughter’s told me about you.”  
“Your…daughter?”

Ruby’s question was interrupted by blazing sirens. The team ran out of the store, seeing the streets empty, save for sounds of a fight. Robotic corpses were thrown into the street, shredded to bits as the team readied their weapons.

“I’m guessing the city’s defenses aren’t doing much.” Oscar observed.  
“Somehow that doesn’t surprise me.” Nora spoke with annoyance.

Atlas droids walked backward, firing at quick Grimm before being bit in half. Ruby looked back to the others, fierce determination in her eyes.

“Well we didn’t come this far to fail now!”

Another roar made the girl unsheathe Crescent Rose, aiming it at the closest Grimm. They had tiger-like bodies with large tusks, bearing fierce growls and chunks of ice on their ribs. Yang rocketed herself forward, closely followed by Ren, Nora, and Slim, who ripped off his target’s faceplate.

More Grimm appeared, going after the Hunters. Slim stayed focused on his targets, giving Shade and Firefly time to rest as he watched the others out of the corner of his eye. The Huntsman was impressed with Oscar, who only needed one strike to finish off his opponent, bouncing off of them with his cane like a pogo stick.

‘ _Guess Ozpin’s training is kicking in._ ’

Slim made several close calls, nearly being slashed by the Grimm before swiftly blasting them. He couldn’t help but be jealous of the others’ efficiency, Ren working flawlessly to take out Weiss’ hovering captives. Slim snapped back to attention, about to finish off a Grimm in his grasp before a green laser disintegrated the foe, catching him off guard.

The Huntsman looked to the sky, seeing…a person…fly and shoot lasers from their hands, taking the Grimm out with minimal effort before hovering to the ground. The person was revealed to be a young girl with orange hair, wearing a bow and green and black dress with black gloves and pants, with green rockets on her feet.

Slim walked toward the others, Ruby seeming to have a near tearful look and sound to her.

“Penny…”  
“Darlin’, why don’t you say hello to your friends?”

The girl turned to Slim’s friends, eyes and mouth glowing with joy as she seemed to focus on Ruby. The group disengaged their weapons, waiting for the joyous tension to break.

“Sal…” Slim and the others grew confused as the girl slightly bowed, a new ferocity in her eyes.  
“U…” The confusion changed to caution as the girl lowered to the position of a racer about to sprint.  
“ _Tatioooons!_ ”

The girl zoomed forward, flying at near sonic speed as Ruby flailed her arms wildly. She collided with the red-clothed Huntress in a tackling hug, Slim just barely able to avoid being crushed by the fierce impact of the two.

Ruby slowly stood, disbelief in her eyes.

“Penny? But I-I thought you-“  
“Died?” The chair-bound man stepped forward, looking to Penny with a smile and loving eyes. “I guess she did, technically. But we were able to recover her core from Amity Arena once it made it to Atlas. It took me some time, but-“  
“I’m as good as new, better even!” Penny smiled brightly. “And now I’m the official protector of the city.”  
“That’s my girl! We aren’t gonna get a little mangling to shreds get to us, now will we?”  
“No, sir!” Penny knocked her head, releasing a metallic _clunk_.

“Wait a minute… You’re the girl from the arena?”

The others turned to Slim, who had a surprised look on his face.

“Oh, hello there! You must be new friends of Ruby, right?”  
“Wait, friends? I-it’s only me.” Slim subtly shook in nervousness.  
Penny simply shook her head. “I’m picking up two other Auras in you. Hello friends!”  
“How in the…How the hell did you recognize us!?” Shade gawked as he emerged, catching the chair-bound man off-guard.  
“And your precision in flight…Incredible!” Firefly marveled.

All three of them suddenly went still, their eyes spacing out and gaining a white glow, concerning the others. Ren stepped forward, nearly putting his hand on Slim’s shoulder before Slim jumped, surprising the others as he eyed Penny with unbridled curiosity.

“Sir, may I see something with Penny for a moment?”  
“If she’s alright with it, you won’t hear any complaints from me.”  
“I am, Slim. I trust you!”

Slim only nodded as he walked forward, putting his hand to Penny’s chest and closing his eyes. The Huntsman concentrated, going into Penny’s Aura as he did with Oscar in Argus. He opened his eyes, shining with intense white flames as he looked to her.

“Incredible…”  
“What is it?” Nora asked.  
“Aura flows through us much like blood and heat, emanating even beyond where it travels. Penny though…Doesn’t. Her Aura is precise in its movements, but so much stronger in its glow. It’s like a tightly-knit web. Even with the concentration, she gives off warmth like a person. If it weren’t for her metallic skeleton that we heard just now and the conversation, the difference between her and a human would be unrecognizable.”

Penny smiled as she went to Ruby, grabbing her shoulders with anticipation in her eyes. Her talk about the future was interrupted by more sirens, the robotic girl giving a salute and long-winded good-bye as she flew off.

“I can’t tell if I completely understand what’s going on, or have a million questions?” Nora shrugged.  
“You’re telling me,” Shade added, “I’ve got a _billion_ questions.”  
“Thankfully, I have about a thousand answers. But let’s get out of the weather, first.” The man turned, ‘walking’ back to the shop with the others close behind.

Slim smiled, ecstatic at possibly learning more about Penny. However, the excitement didn’t last long. Firefly sensed something was off, giving Slim too late of a warning as bolas rained from the sky. The capturing weapons flew to the others, quickly ensnaring them. Slim tried to dodge, but was too slow, falling to the ground with a grimace.

People in red, white and blue uniforms quickly surrounded them, taking the Relic of Knowledge from Ruby with a smirk.

“Good work team.”

The one that looked like the leader praised, looking to the captors with victory in his eyes as Qrow tried to talk with him. Slim quietly summoned Shade to his shoulder.

“Get us out of these, _now._ ”  
“Don’t have to tell me twice.”

Shade slowly drifted around the bola, only briefly scratching it before electricity coursed through it, making Slim, Shade and Firefly scream out in pain before groaning. Atlas droids took the group’s weapons, handing them off to the soldiers. There was a brief exchange between the leader and the chair-bound man, who pointed out the captors as the Ace Ops.

The Ace Ops quickly split off into different directions, leaving droids to throw the group into a transport.

“Now _this,_ ” Qrow groaned, “Is what I was expecting.”  
Ruby looked over to Slim, who sat across from her and was almost fully awake. “Are you okay?”  
“Y-yeah, we’ll be fine. Man, that stung.” Slim slightly grimaced as he looked to the others. “Are you guys okay?”

The others nodded as they settled in, dreading what was to come. Slim leaned against the wall, seeing the others in some state of defeat. Shade emerged slowly, groaning and grimacing.

“Welcome to Atlas, if you can call this a welcome.”


	2. Steadfast

The transport ride was tense, only slightly being alleviated by a ‘rebel’ who was riding with them, making Shade snicker within Slim.

“When Robyn Hill gets elected onto the Council, she’ll put an end to Ironwood’s tyranny!”

The man’s speech earned eye rolls from the others, shifting to caution as he recognized Weiss. However, Jaune’s admiration of the outside distracted them. A massive network of towers was outside their window, and getting closer. The buildings only got taller as they stepped out of the transport, moving into a lift to be taken to General Ironwood, “For better or worse,” as Ruby had put it.

The group was corralled into a lift, being a tight fit with the guards.

“So, what are we gonna do?” Slim asked.  
“I…I’m not sure. But we should be careful with what we say.”  
“We’ll follow your lead, Ruby.” Blake leaned to the Huntress, giving her slight confidence.

The others nodded as the door opened, the guards bringing them to a circular room before being stopped by Penny’s greeting, with Winter and General Ironwood looking surprised, the woman’s face being painted with surprise upon seeing her younger sister confined.

“You have exactly ten seconds to release them before I hurt you.”

The guards immediately scrambled to release the prisoners, leaving them to Ironwood’s company as they departed. The General led them to a large and open office, having a wall-encompassing window behind a large desk.

“It’s so good to see all of you.”  
“Some greeting.” Slim grumbled.  
“Yeah, our reception…Didn’t convey that.” Yang rubbed her organic arm.  
“I sincerely apologize for my team’s behavior. A rogue airship entering our airspace raised some…red flags. We assumed it was stolen.”  
“S-stolen?” Ruby gestured with clear nerves. “No no no, it was…borrowed, without…” She dropped the façade and sighed. “Yeah, it was stolen.”

Winter was subtly fuming. “You could’ve been shot down! That was completely irre-“  
She stopped at Weiss’ surprise hug. “We did what we had to do.”  
“I-I suppose I understand.”

“Happy reunions aside,” Qrow started, “We have some, confidential, info to discuss.”  
“Is it about the Relics?”  
“Or perhaps the Winter Maiden?”

The group stopped at Penny and Winter’s words, Qrow most surprised of all.

“You _told_ them?”  
“Hoo boy.” Slim sighed as Ironwood laughed. The General told them of his work after Beacon fell, establishing his own inner circle like what Ozpin had.  
“Okay, that’s not too terrible of an idea.” Slim spoke, turning Ironwood’s attention to him, making the Huntsman gulp.  
“And what about him? Can he be trusted?”  
The others turned to the boy, who held his arm shyly before stepping forward with a deep breath. “I met these guys at Argus, and went along with their plan because I wanted to help. While everything about Salem was…overwhelming, at first; especially with _how_ I learned about it, I’m not going anywhere. What do you have in mind?”

The general took in a deep breath, regaling the struggle of holding Salem back. His determination shone upon his decree that Salem would be destroyed, though Slim also saw tiredness and stress in his eyes.

“If we want to defeat Salem, we need the other Relics.” He suggested.  
“What about the Atlas one?” Ruby asked.  
“Ah, the Staff of Creation.”  
“It’s safe inside the Vault!” Penny stepped forward.  
“What about the Winter Maiden?”  
“She’s safe, and in stable condition.”  
“Stable?” Slim and Yang started before the brawler continued. “What does that-“  
“The Maiden isn’t exactly a spring chicken, to put it simply.”

The General took in a deep breath. “I know how this all looks. Withdrawing the military, the embargo…I probably don’t look like the most trustworthy person right now.”  
“If you think you look sketchy to us, how do you think the civilians feel?” Slim stepped forward.  
“Those people are hurting down there, and things aren’t getting any better!” Nora added.  
“So why continue this?” Blake asked.  
“I’m doing this so that Salem couldn’t infiltrate Atlas, for the people’s security.”  
“But that isn’t helping,” Yang mentioned, “It’s making them hate you.”  
“And you know what hate brings.”

“I know, which is why I have a plan.” Ironwood spoke as he closed the blinds on the windows. He stepped around the desk, lifting the floor’s emblem with the press of a button. The emblem expanded, displaying a hologram of Amity Coliseum, adding a tower on top of it. Penny and Winter’s details of establishing secure global communication looked like a great idea.

“I withdrew the military because I intend to tell the world about Salem.”

The room stopped, eyes going wide amongst Slim and the group.

“You know that’s a terrible idea, right!?” Shade emerged, surprising Winter and Ironwood.  
“What about the people? Panic will spread like wildfire.” Firefly added as he appeared.

“I understand that,” Ironwood spoke, “which is why the military is here: To combat the Grimm that will come with the news.”  
“Once Atlas has settled, we’ll be ready to assist the other kingdoms.” Winter added.

“General, I try to be an optimist, and believe in hope,” Slim started, “But even I can see that this’ll be an _incredibly_ risky move, almost suicidal. Not only will the Grimm be a problem, but what about other villains among the people? Common thugs will take advantage of the chaos, and Salem’s followers will only add fuel to the fire, likely more than we can anticipate.” Slim was getting riled up, changing into Shadow as their eyes glowed with orange flames.

“And not just starting here, but in _all kingdoms,_ even before they hear the full story. Even with supporters like the Ace Ops and the military, people _will_ die. Are you really prepared to sacrifice Gods know how many lives for the rest of time, on top of the cyclical tension and conflict that the people will carry!? Revealing the enemy may give you more freedom of movement, but not without the cost of fear and anger from the people!”

Shadow’s eyes became enflamed as their wings became unfurled, eyes and teeth gritting with frustration.

“Good people, _loved ones,_ will needlessly be at risk, for _all of us._ What makes you think exposing the truth will be worth the inevitable bloodshed!?”

The room stopped, tension being noticeable enough to be cut with a knife. Nora and Ren put their hands on Shadow’s shoulders, snapping them to reality with unnerved eyes as they looked around. The angel took in a deep breath, returning to Slim while giving Ironwood a stern glare.

“I understand your concern, which is why I want to work with you and establish trust, now that Oz is gone.”  
“We hope you know what you’re doing, General.”

Slim stepped to the back of the room as the conversation continued, cycling deep breaths and releasing any lingering stress from his shoulders, seeing the others watch him with sad and fearful eyes before returning to Ironwood. The group’s talk faded from his mind, focusing inward instead to talk with Shade and Firefly.

‘ _Are you sure about this?’_ Firefly asked.  
 _‘I’m with Sparky. This is downright stupid. Thousands, if not millions, will be slaughtered.’  
‘I don’t like this either, but we’ve come this far. Ruby will still lead us, so we can trust her. Besides, we don’t have much of a choice.’_

The trio nodded as Slim returned to the world, seeing Ruby look to the General.

“Tell us how we can help.”

The General smiled, bringing excitement to the party’s faces at the invitation to upgrade their gear. Penny excitedly led the group back outside, finding the Ace Ops team talking, Shade emerging with a grimace.

A large woman bolted ahead of the Ops, shaking Ruby’s hand and entire body. “I’m so sorry for our behavior earlier! If we had known who-“ Shade and Slim couldn’t help but laugh as Ruby stood, dazed and confused.

“You couldn’t have asked some questions first?” Weiss re-oriented Ruby with a flick.  
“Questions are for the weak.” A young man walked forward with dismissal and arrogance in his tone and body language, making Slim and Shade grimace. “Besides, we’re all on the same team now, not that I’m happy about it.”  
“Real shocking to hear you say that, _friend_ , considering you captured and electrocuted us without warning when we did your job _for you_.” Shade growled, making the man squint his eyes. The squint went away as whooshing filled the air, coming from the man’s wolf tail quickly wagging, garnering chuckles from Slim and Shade.

“ _Despite_ our past…discrepancies,” The leader stepped forward, “We do sincerely apologize for our actions; and look forward to working with you.” He smiled as he continued. “The General filled us in. You’ve been working just as hard as us, if not more so.”  
“Prepared to be amazed.” Shade smirked, making Slim roll his eyes.

“Now that you’ve been introduced, let me show you around campus!” Penny excitedly waved the group forward. At first, Slim and the others were fascinated, especially with the clearly advanced technology present around every corner. However, the tour seemed to drag longer and longer, Slim and the others struggling to stay awake and alert with their tiredness and the dull colors.

“Hey Penny, not we don’t enjoy this tour,” Firefly emerged and yawned, “But where are we sleeping?”  
“Ah, the dorms, of course! And each one is separated for teams, just like Beacon! We’re right by them actually, follow me!”

The group was about to start moving when a _thud_ rang out. Nora had fallen face-first into the ground, quiet snores escaping her lips as Ren picked her up. Slim merged with Firefly, shrinking and flying to give himself some room, only to crash into walls in exhaustion.

The groups looked to the dorms, Slim lowering as a realization crossed his mind.

“Each dorm suits four people, but there are nine of us. Do we have any spare rooms or mattresses, Penny?”  
The robotic girl thought before straightening excitedly, “Ah, I can get a sleeping pack for you. Would that work?”  
“It’ll do for tonight. Thanks, Penny.”

The girl simply nodded as she walked off. RWBY had already settled into bed, and ORNJ was just about to, so Slim approached Jaune.

“Mind if I stay with you guys for the night?”  
“Not at,” Jaune released a large yawn, “Not at all. Come in.”

Slim nodded as he stepped in, sitting on the floor as Ren laid a still-sleeping Nora in blankets. The silence gave Slim time to reflect on the stressful day with a regretful expression.

“Are you okay, Slim?”  
The Huntsman looked up to see Ren and Jaune looking at him with worry. “I…I just feel bad about my behavior today in the meeting with Ironwood. I didn’t mean to get out of line like that.”  
“But your points are understandable,” Ren spoke softly. “Nora was getting pretty fired up, too.”  
“Yeah.” Slim chuckled. “Still, I need to be more careful. I didn’t mean to make you guys worry.”  
“It’s okay, Slim.” Jaune nodded, “Emotions are gonna be high here. It’s not like they weren’t high in Argus. We’ve got each other’s backs, right?”  
Slim smiled and nodded. “Right.”

Penny returned with a large sleeping bag, smiling at Slim before walking away. The Huntsman spread his dwelling out as the others got into their own beds, finding his eyes closing even before his head hit the pillow. Slim let himself fall into sleep, ready for the recharge he needed for tomorrow.


	3. Licensed Cake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter brings up the ‘ceremony’ seen when the team gets their licenses, with Slim referencing his early missions, and I thought I’d give some clarification.
> 
> In RWBY, student Huntsmen aren’t normally allowed to go on missions without supervision for at least their first two years (If I remember right, After the Fall shows CFVY going on missions alone in their 2nd/3rd years.)
> 
> However, because of his extraordinary performance at school, Slim was allowed to go on missions early. Think of it like Remnant’s PSEO, which allows high school students with high grades to take college courses early. Slim is Remnant’s equivalent of a PSEO student, and Ironwood would likely have access to his records from his time at Haven, thus seeing his performance and granting Slim his license with the others. With that out of the way, enjoy the chapter!

True to Jaune’s prediction, activity was high for the group. They were immediately evaluated for their abilities and skills, being put to the ultimate test with a mission in an abandoned mine. A Geist was risking collapsing the mine, and Slim’s team were sent in with the Ace Ops to investigate.

Slim was fascinated by the Ops’ abilities, seeing that their teamwork was extraordinary, with the large woman named Elm literally rooting herself to the ground, tripping the Geist’s gigantic icy body with help from the sage named Vine’s extended arms. Even Marrow, the ‘annoying greenhead’ by Shade’s admission, managed to show his worth slightly with his giant boomerang.

Slim’s fascination and concern for Atlas grew with each mission, turning to anger upon seeing Jacques Schnee try to get Weiss to go with him. Pride overcame his urge to take the man down when Weiss held her ground, declaring her team as her true family. However, that was put aside when Ironwood had summoned him and the others to Amity Coliseum, being greeted by a stoic Winter and a bouncing Penny.

“Your actions have not been that of students, but of Huntsmen, and Huntresses.”

Slim and the others looked to their Scrolls as Penny passed, seeing their ‘Student’ title turn to ‘Huntsman’ or ‘Huntress’. Ironwood excused himself soon after, Penny walking off to prepare cake and refreshments while the group looked to their devices with neutrality and even melancholy.

“After all this time, I forgot that this was what I wanted.” Yang spoke.  
“After Beacon, this felt impossible.” Blake added on.  
“It almost seems…trivial now.” Weiss said.  
“Even before meeting you guys, I was able to go on basic missions, so I didn’t find myself thinking about my title too much.” Slim softly sighed. “On top of running into you and discovering the truth about Ozpin and Salem, this…feels like it’s worth as much as a paperweight.”  
“Hey, come on now.” Qrow smiled at them. “Don’t get yourselves down so much. This is a celebration, and you’ve earned it.”

The group nodded as they walked over to the refreshments. Slim, Shade and Firefly watched with fascination as knives emerged from Penny’s back with almost invisible threads, cutting the cake with perfect precision. Slim’s sweet tooth kicked in, embracing the cake with divine reverence. The Huntsman laughed as he watched Yang show Penny her prosthetic by detaching it, walking over to the girl once Yang left.

“Hey Penny.”  
“Oh, hello Slim!” She smiled, “Are you enjoying the cake?”  
“Yeah, thanks for offering it.”

The duo simply smiled, looking around at their friends having fun and talking. Slim looked over to the arena itself, and to the girl beside him; unpleasant questions emerging from his psyche. Penny looked over, noticing the disturbance.

“Are you alright?”  
“I…I don’t know. I’m still curious about you, but I don’t want to push any boundaries.”  
“It’s alright, Slim. You can ask something if you want to.” The girl gave a small smile, giving Slim confidence.

“Do…Do you remember…what happened here?”  
“You mean my death?”

Slim, Shade and Firefly’s eyes went wide at hearing the casual and sad answer.

“Y-yeah…”  
“I do.”  
“What was it like? Coming back?”  
“It…felt like I had woken up from sleep. When my father gave me my memories and informed me of what happened, I did need time to adjust.”  
“Anyone would, Penny. Not everyone can cheat death.”

Penny looked to the Huntsmen beside her, seeing their sad and contemplative faces.

“Slim, does this place…hold bad memories for you too?”  
“Huh? I…I guess so. I remember watching the tournament with my girlfriend, and communications going dark afterward. The rumors and talks afterward all said the same thing: ‘Beacon had fallen.’ And seeing all the memorials and news stories, on top of personal insecurities…It was rough.”

Slim looked over to the others, Penny following his gaze.

“Still, I can’t imagine what they went through. I mean, they were _there_. I know that being a Huntsman means risking my life, but…Seeing the aftereffects of the Fall through them, on top of everything with Ozpin and Salem and Atlas…It’s a lot to take on.”  
“I guess so. But at least we can all come together as friends, right? That’s what my father said we’re fighting for. Our friends and ‘loved ones’.”  
Slim smiled, “Yeah, I guess so. Thanks, Penny.”  
“Anytime, Slim!”

Slim was about to walk away when Shade emerged.

“Hey, Penny!”  
The girl looked to the ghost inquisitively.  
“How good are you at doing the robot?”

Penny blinked before smiling, putting down her plate before moving her body with sharp precision. Shade merged with Slim, laughing as he faced her and began his own dance. The competition drew the others’ attention, with team ORNJ cheering for Shade, and Weiss, Blake and Yang cheering for Penny.

The dance competition shifted to more fluent movements, increasing in speed. Penny’s shuffling feet seemed to blur, and Shade’s break-dancing almost gave him the appearance of a small tornado. Ruby, Qrow and even the Ace Ops joined the crowd, the uncle and niece cheering for Shade and Penny respectively, while the Ops simply watched with expressions ranging from annoyance to amusement.

The intense dance-off ended, both parties bowing to each other, with Shade panting and coughing.

“Damn, girl. You’ve…got moves.”  
“You danced admirably as well, Shade. I hope we can do this again.”  
“Count…on it.”

With a handshake shared, everyone returned to the entrance, looking at the mission board to receive their first official assignments. With missions distributed, the group returned to their dwellings, a spark of pride encasing Slim as he drifted off.

“Slim Sapphire: Licensed Huntsman. I think I can get used to that.”


	4. A Day Out

While Huntsman work was fun and rewarding, Slim couldn’t deny that it was also exhausting.

Aside from some hiccups with Robyn Hill, the missions had been going well for everyone. Meals were filled with discussions on events, and sparring was occupied by competition and advising on improvements for fighting styles. Team FNKI visiting had been a surprise, Neon driving Shade up the wall with her questions and taunting. While their invitation had been accepted graciously, Slim couldn’t help but dread the party.

“Would anyone else be down for our own day off?”

The others looked to the Huntsman curiously, thinking on the question.

“Things have been intense for the past few days.” Blake said.  
“Maybe if we get approval from Ironwood, we could work something out.” Jaune added.

With agreement from the others, Slim and Jaune went to Ironwood for an appeal. The debate had been a bit rocky, but the General had let them go on the promise that they would be ready to get a lot of work done when they returned.

With their things secured and Penny coming along, the teams walked out, taking in the grandiose architecture around them. Even if the burden was only temporarily gone, Slim let himself embrace the freedom, taking in the sights around him from both the city and his friends.

One area in particular caught Slim’s attention, bringing the others to a halt as Slim’s eyes and face widened.

“What is it?” Ruby asked.  
“It’s the One Stop Game Shop Arcade, and this one’s still open!”  
“What, no way!” Yang raced beside Slim, the duo giving each other wide smiles before racing ahead to the others’ laughter.

The place had games all over. Slim nearly ran to the counter, quickly giving his pay and taking his given tokens, shaking in place while waiting for the others. Yang looked to him with another smile, the duo quickly settling at an air hockey table. It was a close game, with Slim emerging as the victor with help from Shade, frustrating the blonde brawler.

“You can’t have 2-on-1, that’s not fair!”  
“Says the one that can throw Grimm like stuffed animals.” Shade snickered as he and Slim high-fived.  
“How about we make things even?” Blake walked forward with a tiny smirk, standing beside Yang with blushes faintly appearing on both of their cheeks.  
“You’re on.”

A new game began, garnering the others as spectators. Slim and Shade’s competitive sparks shone in their eyes, growing in intensity as the game got closer and closer, before finally snuffing out as Blake and Yang took the victory.

“Godsdammit! We were _this close!_ ”  
“You guys definitely had us on the ropes.” Slim smiled.  
“What can I say, not many people have the synergy we do.” Yang smirked back.  
“We certainly make a good team, don’t we?”

Blake’s eyes and remark captured Yang’s lilac irises, the duo seeming to forget about the outside world as they stared. Their blushes grew until Slim cleared his throat, snapping the two out of their trances with cheeks as red as fire, Slim and Shade barely holding in laughter.

“You know what, you can have this one, lovebirds.”

Yang’s blush only intensified, Blake laughing herself as she took the brawler to another game. Slim split off himself, looking around until he found a familiar console from his childhood. He walked over to the game, seeing it was a familiar brawler. The Huntsman grabbed a controller, allowing himself to become lost in the fight before him.

“What’s this you’re playing?”  
“Super Smash Bros. Ultimate! I had a Switch when I was a little kid. My grandpa _loved_ the thing, I could never beat him.”  
Ruby’s eyes slowly gained their own familiarity. “We had this at my house too! We threw it out because I accidentally broke it though.” The girl blushed as she remembered the incident, only to come back to reality as Slim offered a controller.

“Think you can take down the King of Evil?”  
Ruby’s smirk and competitiveness grew, “Let’s see how you do against the Fastest Thing Alive.”

Slim laughed as the duel began. Both competitors fought ferociously, pushing each other to the limit with frighteningly strong sword swings and lightning fast punches. The match was incredibly close, but Slim just barely managed to win, visibly relaxing as the results appeared.

“Holy crap. I’ve never had as close a match as that.”  
“Rrrrgh, we’re going again!” Ruby focused on the screen, making Slim nervously laugh as Shade emerged.  
“Let’s see how you do against me, Red Riding Hood.”

The second fight drew the rest of Team RWBY, Yang cheering for her sister, and Blake cheering for the ghost as Weiss watched with annoyance and secret endearment. Shade’s jaw dropped as Ruby claimed victory, dropping the controller.

“I…I… _How?_ ”  
“That was too close for comfort. Good game though!”  
The combatants shook hands as Shade smirked, “Well done, Ruby.”

The action had drawn the others, deciding to start a tourney. Even Penny and Ren joined in, performing admirably. The final had come down to Firefly versus Nora. While the light was nervous, he fell into a sort of focused trance, seeming to dance with Nora flawlessly on equal footing. Nora just barely managed to win, giving Firefly a hug and smile, which he reciprocated.

The group looked out the window, seeing the sun start to set.

“I suppose we should be getting back, huh?” Shade yawned.  
“Yeah, we’ve got a long day ahead of us tomorrow.” Ruby agreed.

They walked to the counter, exchanging their tokens for prizes. Slim walked out with a large Beowolf figurine. The Huntsman turned behind him, seeing Ruby struggling to hold a giant stuffed bear and Yang hold a small stuffed dragon. The brawler looked to the plush and Blake walking beside her, seeming to get an idea, if the blush on her cheeks was anything to go by.

Slim slowed down, falling in step beside the black and golden duo.

“Did you guys have fun?”  
Yang snapped out of her train of thought, “Yeah, I did! That was awesome! What about you, Blake?”  
The Faunus girl softly smiled. “I did. That was my first time in an arcade, I didn’t really know what to expect.”  
Shade and Firefly emerged, their jaws dropping along with Slim and Yang’s, who looked to each other. “We gotta get you out more, Blake. The world of games is a glorious one.”  
Slim smiled at Blake’s laughter, seeing Yang’s face hold both happiness and adoration in it as they took in the evening air. Slim smiled upon seeing contemplation on Yang’s face, looking between her dragon and Blake with questioning eyes.

“I’m sure she’d like it, Yang.”  
The girl snapped to attention. “W-what are you talking about?”  
“Do you not want to give her that dragon? It looks like you do from our perspective.” Firefly enquired.  
“I…Yeah, I do want to give it. But would she like it?”  
“Of course she will. It is from you, after all.” Shade softly smiled.

Yang took a deep breath as Slim patted her shoulder, watching as she caught up to Blake. The Huntsman couldn’t help but snicker as Yang scratched the back of her head nervously, both hers and Slim’s smiles growing upon seeing Blake reciprocate with her own smile.

Slim quickly caught up to the pair, giving a thumbs-up as he passed. The Huntsman caught up and talked with the others, glowing with joy at the reflections on the day he had. Tomorrow may bring difficulties, but Slim knew he would fight for moments like this, and that his friends felt the same way.


	5. Ending the Cycle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter isn’t actually canon to the RWBY/Shadows world. I honestly hate Jacques for what he’s done, so this is pretty much ‘What if Slim lost control?’ The team is still together and everything, this is just a little diversion. I hope you enjoy!

The missions may have tested Slim’s physical limits, but Jacques was the one to test his mental restraint.

The man’s cold appearance and expression immediately put him on edge, especially as Ironwood was called by the Ace Ops for something. The edge slowly grew into anger as Weiss defied him, bringing unpleasant memories to Slim’s mind as he talked about Weiss’ mother, darkness and deception clear in his tone.

‘ _You sure we can’t do something?_ ’ Shade asked.  
‘ _I’m with him. This guy isn’t right.’_ Firefly added.  
‘ _I…We need to stay in control. Hurting someone like him will only bring trouble._ ’  
‘ _Is that more important than Weiss?’_  
‘ _No one’s making a move, so we won’t._ ’ Slim’s tone was sharp, but his own urges slowly ate at him. Experience had taught him to stay quiet, but his skills and gut were telling him to take action.

“Not friends. Family.”

Slim snapped out of his train of thought, smiling upon seeing Team RWBY hand in hand, likely eyeing Jacques in strong defiance. The man himself scowled at the sight, his hands and left eye subtly twitching.

“I was _not asking_.”

The man took a step forward, extending his hand menacingly. Slim zoned out, seeing nothing but true evil and darkness in the man’s soul. The finding flashed Slim back to his own father replicating the motion, going for a young, tearful boy as a woman begged him to stop.

‘ _I won’t just stand by, not again!!’_

Slim raced forward, changing into Shadow as he approached Jacques. The CEO could only gasp as the angel lunged, grabbing his arm tightly, making its owner groan in pain.

“Why… you…little-“  
“Snakes like you poison others with venom. Now, we will take away yours.”

RWBY gasped with wide eyes as Shadow slammed Jacques in the stomach, reaching into Jacques’ mouth with their right arm and pulling out the CEO’s tongue. The man’s eyes widened as Shadow swiftly sliced it off. Jacques’ muffled scream carried excruciating pain and fury. His eyes then turned to fear as the grip on his arm tightened.

“You will _never_ hurt anyone else again. Your legacy will be one of ashes, and your daughter will rise to blow them away.”

Shadow slashed, cleanly cutting off Jacques’ right arm before kicking him to the ground. Any anger in the man’s eyes vanished as he looked into the angel’s burning eyes, being replaced by fear as he hobbled back to his ship.

“Why…?”

Shadow looked back, internally recoiling at his friends’ shocked faces. Ruby and Weiss looked near tears, Blake and Yang shifting into a cautionary stance as they leaned towards each other.

“We…” Shadow looked down at their bloody hand.

“He wouldn’t have stopped; he would have taken Weiss the instant he could. We already carry darkness from…people like him. This burden shouldn’t be on your shoulders.”

The angel released a shaky breath, flying off and blocking out Ruby’s cry to come back. They flew back to Atlas, mind rampaging with thoughts. What would happen next? What would the others think once they heard what happened?

‘ _Are we going to tell Dot?’_ Firefly sounded on the verge of tears.  
‘ _We will. We promised to not keep secrets.’_ Slim left no room for argument, even as his own thoughts kept going.  
‘ _We did what we had to. Who knows what would’ve happened to Weiss if he got her.’_ Shade commented.  
‘ _Yeah.’_

The rest of the flight was silent. Shadow thought of returning to the Atlas Academy dorms, but stopped. If they went there, they would surely be arrested quickly. They were going to be captured anyway, so Shadow decided to make the most of their time, flying to a desolate Mantle rooftop.

The angel’s tears began to pool again as they realized what almost happened. They took out their Scroll, dialing Dot’s number and dreading her answer.

“Hello?”  
“Dot, we…” They took a quick and shaky breath.  
“Shadow? What’s going on?” Dot’s voice carried concern.  
“We…Nearly killed someone.”  
The Scroll was silent, weighing down on Shadow worse than any Grimm.  
“What happened?”  
“It was J-Jacques Schnee. He…He wouldn’t have stopped. He would’ve taken Weiss away. The _evil_ in his eyes and soul, we…”

Shadow lost the rest of the sentence in whimpers, the cold wind making them curl in further.  
“Shadow…Y-you know what you have to do.”  
“What about the others though? RWBY, JNR, Oscar, Qrow and Maria? What if they see us as monsters?”  
“You wouldn’t have done it without reason.”  
“But our emotions got-“  
“Shadow, please listen.” Dot sounded near tears herself. “You’re good people. You acted to protect others. Please, just be honest with them. Jacques is known to have done less than ethical things. Please…Don’t make this harder for anyone else.”

Shadow took another shaky breath, absorbing Dot’s words and conviction.

“Alright. We will. And Dot?”  
“Yeah?”  
“We…we love you.”  
“I love you guys too.”

Shadow hung up, looking at the Scroll’s background with wistful eyes. It was them with Dot, giving her a kiss as she dozed off to sleep. The angel put away the Scroll, starting the flight back to Atlas. No matter what happened, Shadow would move forward, doing whatever it took to earn his friends’ trust again. But for now, justice had to be served. And so, Shadow flew, ready to face his own judgment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed the story! My biggest concern is that I went too off-canon and made interactions between characters seem odd. A little behind the scenes easter egg: My original plan was for Shadow to outright kill Jacques, then drop his body off a mountainside as he flew to Mantle, but my main beta-reader suggested the dismemberment to REALLY get him, and I loved it. >:D
> 
> After this piece, I'm gonna take a small break from writing Shadows and crossover stories, probably do at least 2-3 works before I write crossovers again. Let me know what you think in the comments, and have a good day!


End file.
